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PURDUE BASKETBALL RECRUITING
So we start off this week with another update on four-star big man Ryan Kalkbrenner, with whom things seem to be moving in a very positive direction for Purdue, and actually setting up pretty well for the Boilermakers.
Multiple indications now are that not only will Kalkbrenner not use an official visit on Illinois, but that Illinois has essentially fallen out of the picture with him, a significant development with a player for which the Illini were long considered a leading contender.
That would leave, as of now at least, Purdue, Creighton, Stanford and maybe Missouri in the realistic picture for him, and maybe Cincinnati. Missouri is way behind with him, as we understand it, so not sure about them.
Stanford and Creighton are players here, and that represents, to be honest, a pretty manageable group of obstacles in Purdue's way here.
Stanford is elite academically, obviously, but Purdue's engineering school may even the playing field there, and we'd think Kalkbrenner would be more likely than not to remain closer to home.
All due respect to Creighton, but Purdue would seem to check a lot more boxes there.
Kalkbrenner is due to visit Purdue the weekend of Sept. 6-8, the Vanderbilt football weekend, and the same weekend 2020 commitments Jaden Ivey and Ethan Morton are visiting, as well as 2021 target Trey Kaufman.
That now sets up some timeframe dynamics.
With Creighton and Stanford being two of the other favorites for Kalkbrenner in addition to Purdue, it bears mentioning that he has already visited both schools officially, so by the end of the first weekend in September, he'll have visited all three, so it's not outside the realm of possibility he could turn toward decision-making mode then and there.
We are certain that Purdue takes the first 2020 target that wants to commit, should it be so fortunate to get one to commit, so that means if Kalkbrenner wants to commit, he's in, but that doesn't mean Hunter Dickinson won't tactfully be made aware that wheels are in motion on other players, to see if he responds.
But it's one or the other at center.
Ben Carlson is officially visiting in September, too, and it's conceivable Purdue delves into over-signing territory to get him if such a situation presents itself.
Dickinson figures to take a series of official visits and our understanding is Michigan will be up first that same weekend in September as Kalkbrenner is at Purdue.
Here's video of Kalkbrenner from the Peach Jam. We hesitate to even publish it because it's not great video and doesn't really show you much in terms of Kalkbrenner's potential, but we have it so figured we may as well just put it here with a disclaimer urging you to not put too much stock in it.
ELITE CAMP
This weekend, Purdue basketball hosts its elite camp and we'll have full coverage to come Saturday evening.
This has been a productive event for Purdue for years now, perhaps never more so than last year, when it identified Jaden Ivey as a priority then and there, recruited him accordingly, and got him wrapped him a few months later.
This year's camp will be a particularly big deal for the Class of 2022.
Washington is obviously going to be one of Purdue's foremost 2022 targets, one of the top prospects in his class nationally.
Heide is a Purdue legacy who was just offered a scholarship and quickly booked the trip to visit, his family presumably coming back to the area where his father's side originates from. Significant visit in that sense.
Cathedral point guard Tayshawn Comer is also, uh, coming, and that's notable as well because he's a player we think Purdue is going to wind up recruiting very seriously.
Among notable 2022 campers should be in-state guards Leland Walker (North Central), Pete Suder (Carmel) and Will Loving-Watts (Jeffersonville).
These names don't mean a lot to you now, but they will a year from now and beyond.
We'll have a more comprehensive rundown Saturday.
Another note about camp this weekend: Five-star Purdue 2021 target Max Christie's younger brother, Cam, is coming to the camp, and that may mean Max is in town with him. He's not going to be part of the camp — he was last year and the year before, IIRC — but just having him there obviously wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for Purdue. (BN)
CALEB FURST VISIT
We'll have more of a preview tomorrow, but tomorrow begins Purdue's first official visit of the 2021 cycle, when Fort Wayne forward/center Caleb Furst visits.
We think Purdue's in a really good spot with him — it should have a significant comfort advantage at this point, for one thing — but this is essentially just the beginning of the process, so we wouldn't think anything would happen any time soon with him. It should be noted though that Purdue did really well with all the players in 2020 who officially visited in fall of last year, coincidence or not.
It will be interesting to see who else is really dug in on Furst, who else he visits this early. He has Michigan State, Virginia, Louisville and Stanford offers now along with his long-term core of Purdue, Indiana, Butler, Ohio State, etc., so it might be telling how broad a scope he takes with this, but regardless, Purdue is going to be there 'til the very end on him.
2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING
Tomorrow night, stay tuned for coverage from Zionsville's football opener vs. Pike, which will have 2020 Purdue offensive line commit Gus Hartwig (Zionsville) and 2021 D-end target Kyran Montgomery (Pike), one of five in-state juniors ranked in the Rivals250.
The following weekend, we'll cover another of those 2021 targets, Yanni Karlaftis of West Lafayette High School, vs. McCutcheon.
ON MALIQ CARR
You probably saw that four-star Purdue target Maliq Carr has narrowed things to just Purdue and Georgia, officially. Basketball loomed large in that official listing, and even though this now introduces the unpredictability of the Tom Crean factor into this, there is really nothing to worry about at the moment from a Purdue perspective.
It's in as solid a position as it could be. That doesn't mean things can't change, but it should be noted Georgia has already used its official visit on Carr, and Purdue still has its OV to come for the TCU weekend, not long before his Oct. 11 announcement.
There's also the reality here, too, that Purdue is waiting on Maliq Carr no matter what, whereas a Georgia probably is much quicker to move on to some other stud instead of fighting a battle in which it's behind.
Again, Purdue's on very solid ground here.
The offensive tackle thing is clearly a need, and of the new offers, its best bet is James Pogorelc, who has basically already committed to visiting even though Purdue has recruited him for a matter of days.
It stands to reason to suggest maybe more offers go out at tackle, too, considering two of the other guys it just offered have to be considered extreme longshots. (BN)
'GOLD AND BLACK LIVE'
Next week, the new season of 'Gold and Black LIVE' begins, resolving all of last season's cliffhangers, while also discussing Purdue football and whatever else may come up on set.
The show debuts Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday at 2 p.m., broadcast here and at WLFI.com.
Purdue A.D. Mike Bobinski will be our guest.
Tuesday!
Normally the show runs on Fridays, but next week is an atypical week because of Purdue's travel to Reno.
Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday.
ANOTHER REMINDER
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